This was my first Dead show, and I've been on a never ending quest to find a pristine recording. I'm afraid that will never happen. This looks to be the best recording avalablem and it seems that the recording levels at the board were set too hot, and there is clipping distortion throughout. It gets a little better in the 2nd set, but that's mainly because the music gets quieter for much of it starting with Dark Star.

There's some amazing playing going on in this show, so it's hardly a mystery why I get hooked on the Dead. The peak, however, occurs in the first set with the Playing in the Band, which is a monster. The 2nd set features a long Dark Star what was amazing as an in concert experience but doesn't quite translate onto tape. It's certainly got its moments, but I've heard better Dark Stars. The best thing about this one is the minor key jamlet at the end. I wish they'd developed it more and that they'd brought it back as a recurring jam like they did with Spanish Jam, MLB Jam, etc.

It's always great to end with Morning Dew, but again, there are better versions. This one doesn't reach the intense climax to match the best versions.

And one I'm surprised I hadn't heard before. Really rough on the vocals, especially at the beginning, but everything gets better later and the playing is intense and awesome.

I’d give this show 4 and a half stars. It’s the first time the Dead introduced the Feelin’ Groovy Jam into the China->Rider Sandwich that would remain intact until their late ’74 hiatus. After Bill Graham’s introduction, the suite explodes like a mule kicking open a barn door. And the boys just keep the groove...The first set offers up the best Birdsong of 1973–this side of 6/22/73 of course. But it also serves up fine renditions of many a first set “warm-up” numbers. But they ain’t warm… they’re hot! And there’s a lot of fun stage banter to boot, as well. The crown jewel is the first set closer. Playin’ in the Band really hit its stride by fall of the previous year (8/27, 11/18), but the Playin’s in the first shows of ’73 maintained that energy. Virtually every one played in February of this year smoked, but so does this one! The band is just brimming with urgency and ideas here. so much so, it actually trumps the wonderful second set that opens with a nice Promised->Bertha->Greatest. The DS is stellar, although not a top 5 for the year imho. The Truckin’->MD to follow doesn’t disappoint. Get this one–the best night of three in Nassau!

Pigpen died a on 3/8

Wonderful, exemplary '73 icy-mechanized Wall of Sound greatness.

Set 1 has some lyrical trouble here and there, but nothing drastic enough to warrant skipping anything - from the China Cat > Rider opening, this is a great set and is finished off with a definite *WOW* of a one-two punch conclusion - Bird Song and Playin'.

Set 2's unsung hero is the opening triptych; listen to Jer's vocals on Bertha! They're really, really into it tonight....Dark Star gets jazzified pretty quickly, and after the half-hour is finished they've pulled out almost every single bag of jam tricks known; isn't it a beautiful thing, too, when the band ends the 2nd set with Morning Dew?

A fine, fine remaster of a prototype '73 classic.

Still worth every penny. Our taxes were paying for plainclothes police. Our friends' older brother was busted - we caught his girlfriends' screams on our AUD tape!

Rock-solid performance with exceptional sound quality. Download it now before it gets released on a CD and taken down.

This was the first time I SAW The Grateful Dead, though I consider 12-5-71 my first show (simulcast). Tickets were $5.50, more if you bought from ticketron.

What I learned was that Bob, not Jerry (as I had expected) was the 'frontman'. I also discovered that the Nassau Coliseum was not the best place for a concert.

We were sitting at the far end of the oval, and I could barely see the band. The sound wasn't too good. Someone in our group was busted for smoking pot. I recall dozing off during Ramble On Rose (a hundred verses in ragtime!).

In fairness, there's probably no way they could have lived up to my expectations. I was heavily into Anthem, Live/Dead, Workingman's and American Beauty (not to mention Garcia and Ace), and I listened to a lot of tapes from their glory days, '69 and '70. And Ron's death had cast a pall over the whole show.

But I couldn't help but compare them to Hot Tuna, who I saw for the third time that same month. Tuna played at a smaller venue (Academy of Music) with better sound; there was no chance of me falling asleep at THAT show.

Yet I rarely listen to Tuna these days; I'm at this site everyday, and I have dozens of Dead discs in the car. Go figure.

Ron and Jerry, I miss you very much.

That's right... tickets for this show were just $2.

To download this extraordinary performance, email me (mklsgl@comcast.net).

- Michael

Typical, 1st class, 1973 performance. Source is great and mastering is clean. Well worth a listen!

many hilites in the first set including the China>rider opener, Jack straw, LL Rain and
really nice Bird Song and a great playin' to close out the set. This playin' i think is the highlight of the show for me.

in set 2, Promised>Bertha>Greatest (minus donna's screeching) and loser really stood out. good dark star (although nowhere near the beast of 3/28) and HOT truckin>dew to end the nite.

a typical solid '73 show, if not particularly outstanding.

Nice show. I was at 3/19/73 at NC. That was great, but a show with Dark Star is exceptional.
Song rolls along, mellow almost gently. kinda reminds me of the 72 creamery show in Oregon, has that similiar vibe. And then Truckin > Morning Dew. All I can say is double WoW!

This version of Dark Star is the most pleasantly pleasing I have ever heard! Great Sets,Great Show, Wall of Sound! Bee-oinggg!

I remember we were all pissed because now our beloved boys had sold out and going for the big bucks. What's next? MSG??!!!.Compared to the smaller venues we were lucky enough to see them at this place seemed huge and the Nassau Cnty cops were fucking nazis. all this melted away however as the boys opened w/China>Rider followed by Jack Straw and we knew we were in for an amazing night.D.S>Truckin'Finishing with Dew. Amazing. Bird Song and Playin' to finish the first set! 73...my oh my!

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Exellent both in performance and sound quality. Another gem of a remaster by C Miller.

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A "MUST HAVE" 1973 GRATEFUL DEAD Show.

5 Stars for the mix, recording, performance and transfer.

I highly recommend clicking on Charlie Miller's name and collecting all his GRATEFUL DEAD shows, he has impeccable taste. This show is another work of art by Mr. Miller. Trust in Charlie Miller.

This show does sound better than the other Nassau Coliseum shows on the IA.

The GRATEFUL DEAD perform 25 songs before thousands of loving fans shortly after Pigpen died. Pigpen wanted the boys to continue to spread the music and love. That's what Pigpen was all about.

Get it while you can, get it while it's free, get it now or you'll be sorry...

The IA recommends Realplayer for streaming and downloading for users of Windows XP.

Here's one way to download this show:

The IA recommends users of Windows XP view this web-page with RealPlayer.

RealPlayer is a free media player you can download at www.realplayer.com.

Using RealPlayer to view this webpage, click the VBR M3U link to open the songs in the Playlist. If your Playlist is not open, open it by clicking the Playlist icon at the lower right hand corner of RealPlayer.

Once the songs are in the Playlist, double click the song to play it, then click the record button at the lower left hand corner of Realplayer to record it.

When the red line reaches the other end click the stop button to download the song. Your song is in the RealPlayer Downloads folder.

Repeat these steps for each song.

Charlie Miller does it again...

Eat, Drink, be Merry and Listen to the GRATEFUL DEAD.

Thanks for the Love.

In my opinion, the better of the two SBDs, but no surprise its cmiller. Check Phil out this show smokes